A Medicinal Mind

Mixing things up this week, I have provided a short commentary on a recent recommendation from the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) regarding the efficacy of routine behavioral health counseling for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in healthy adults.

The Recommendation

"The USPSTF recommends that primary care professionals individualize the decision to offer or refer adults without obesity who do not have hypertension, dyslipidemia, abnormal blood glucose levels, or diabetes to behavioral counseling to promote a healthful diet and physical activity. Existing evidence indicates a positive but small benefit of behavioral counseling for the prevention of CVD in this population. Persons who are interested and ready to make behavioral changes may be most likely to benefit from behavioral counseling. (C recommendation)."

You may be wondering:

Who/What is the USPSTF and what are their recommendations in the first place?

Who are they directed towards and to whom do they apply?

And most importantly why should I care?

In my commentary I examine some of the details behind this recommendation and the studies that informed it. I dig a little deeper to explore some rather curious questions:

Why don't they recommend counseling for everyone? It seems like it would help?

In what ways did the USPSTF determined "benefit" from such counseling?

What types of health counseling was involved? What modalities were used?

Who was delivering the interventions?

Could we have even expected to see a benefit from such interventions in the first place?

How would you decide if nutrition counseling was helpful to you? Is preventing cardiovascular enough or relevant?

And pushing still I begin to open some doors and push some buttons examining

What does a Grade C recommendation mean when it comes to insurance? payment? Will this type of service be covered?

Were the interventions studied "unsuccessful" because of the participants or was it the content and delivery? Are we actually telling patients the right things when it comes to nutrition and exercise?

What if we studied counseling for sleep, stress management and social connection? Would we see a benefit with these types of interventions? Is this where we should look to next?

And lastly I leave the discussion with a note on motivation, purpose and the willingness to change- is motivation and willingness to change a prerequisite for making meaningful lifestyle changes? Should we only educate those that seem interested to change?

I really hope you enjoy this commentary and want to hear from you!

Leave comments on our podcast page, contact us at using our contact page or send an email to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you and wish to know if this type of podcast is something you would like more of in the future.

May you be happy, healthy and forever at peace.

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In Episode 010 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Wellbeing I have perhaps my deepest, most personal and somehow most playful conversation to date with my mentor in integrative and spirituality engaged family medicine, Dr Gregory Gelburd DO.

As you will hear in the podcast, it was by amazing chance and beautiful synchronicity that Greg and I crossed paths, quickly becoming colleagues, friends, and family beyond measure. From sharing a room together during a mission trip to Haiti, to holding a space for healing alongside Greg's patients, I have been tremendously blessed to have worked and learned from Greg's incredible wisdom and his faithful giving heart.

In this conversation, or should I say, this storytelling, you will hear much of Greg's fascinating background, his undeniable humor and his amazing dedication to restoring health for those in his community, no matter their socioeconomic background, or ability to pay.

Digging into the details of the show we explore

• The ways in which Greg incorporates spirituality into his clinical encounters with patients.
• Can doctors really ask the deeper questions of one's faith alongside such inquiry into one's dietary, movement and sleeping habits?
• The concept of "The Bubble" the impenetrable space where clinician and patient can reside seeking to relieve suffering and promote flourishing.

As we dig further,

Greg shares countless stories of life as an osteopathic physician serving in underserved communities, trying to figure out exactly what was the patient's REAL REASON FOR COMING.

And in the end Greg opens his own heart to share a personal and vulnerable story of error and forgiveness that will leave your heart yearning to forgive as well, perhaps forgiving those that have hurt you to your core.

I will simply stop here and share again how grateful I am to call Greg a mentor and friend and I hope you can find some nourishing stories embedded in our playful, yet deep conversation leading you to live a life more open, more fulfilled, and undeniably free.

Enjoy the show.

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In Episode 9 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Wellbeing, we share space with Charlottesville Virginia advocate and visionary leader behind Cornerstone Community Church, Pastor Tony Schiavone.

It would take much too long to share all of Tony's background, accomplishments and the innumerable ways in which Tony has inspired my being, so I will distill down his passionate work and impactful presence into a single sentence: Tony has opened my heart to experience the joys of renewed relationship with Christ and a life unburdened by the fears or never completely knowing.

Sharing his wisdom each Sunday and holding a nourishing space for growth every second in between, Tony has been a passionate leader in my local church: Cornerstone Community Church, pushing the boundaries of what the modern church can offer a community of open and engaged believers.

In this deeply personal and touching conversation, Tony shares his background in the church community, growing up in a large church-going, New Jersey family where faith would never take the back seat.

We then explore:

1. The beauty and importance of children-our youth as both an inspiration and foundation for growing one's faith and expanding one's capacity to serve others.

We then ask and explore some interesting questions

2. What is the role of the Church in building community and fostering well being?

Is the Church simply some a place to come on Sunday's for spiritual and religious guidance?

3. How can the Church support all aspects of one's health including physical, focusing on lifestyle habits: diet, nutrition, sleep, stress management, and social connection?

4. What is the history of the Church as a source for early medical care?

Is the Church the ideal place for healing: a space to be vulnerable and healed when compared to a doctor's office that is often a place of unease, fear, or concern.

And to start to blur the lines of spiritual counsel vs. physical "healer" and how health is truly created at the community level we ask:

5. Who really is a Pastor? Or a Physician? Can a Pastor or clergyman become a physical healer and a doctor become someone who supports another's spiritual flourishing and personal growth?

6. Can cost-sharing, healthshare models work within Church communities?

Is Direct Primary Care and a Membership model the best way to go?

And lastly Tony shares his vision and work within the church answering the question

7. How is Cornerstone Community Church seeking to relieve suffering and promote flourishing in our local Charlottesville community and areas far beyond?

While you may not find much "medicine" in this conversation, I think you will discover a wealth of new questions and opportunities to reflect, no matter your spiritual background or religious beliefs.

You may access this podcast on our website: http://www.amedicinalmind.com/podcast-wisdom-and-well-being/episode-009-tony-schiavone-faith-community-and-health-a-pastors-perspective-on-cultivating-wellness

I-Tunes page: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-medicinal-mind/id1231645261?mt=2?at=1000lc66

and, GooglePlay page: https://play.google.com/music/listen?t=A_Medicinal_Mind&pcampaignid=MKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16&view=/ps/Ilfrn5ue4ga4ues5yyfssroywjq

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In Episode 008 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Wellbeing, we welcome the innovative creator of the world's largest integrative medicine conference, the Functional Forum and integrative medicine visionary James Maskell.

I was quite fortunate to connect with James in October 2016 at a Functional Forum event in Washington D.C. and have since collaborated in creating and releasing my E-Book on Functional and Integrative Medicine Education. James has been perhaps my single biggest influence pushing me to become an educator and advocate for functional medicine and is a tremendously passionate role model for anyone seeking to reverse chronic disease and achieve optimal health.

Back in March of this year, I was honored to be a part of James' podcast The Evolution of Medicine's Functional Forum, where we discussed the vision and purpose of the functional medicine education resource E-Book and the greater need to expand medical education beyond medical school walls and hospital wards.

As a continuation of this conversation, we share today in a reflective and hopeful discussion addressing

1. A brief State of the Union for the Functional Forum and Functional Medicine education as a whole.

What are we doing well as a community?

How and where have we progressed?

What are the biggest challenges yet to be faced?

1. Updates on educational opportunities through the Institute for Functional Medicine

New pricing for medical students and residents

The opportunity to attend conferences via online streaming

A new foundational and inexpensive online module offered through the IFM for those just getting started in Functional Medicine or wishing for a robust refresher.

1. Ways to continue to grow community and promote this type of care in the next generation of clinicians.

Where is the best place to start a practice?

How do we engage more medical students? Residents? pushing them to start a private practice in the first place?

Is a church an ideal starting place for a Functional medicine micropractice?

1. James' latest projects and visions for the Functional Forum

Journey to 100. Can we get human life expectancy to 100?

How the Functional Forum is adapting and evolving to meet the needs of each community

How they are supporting innovators bringing CME and medical students into the Functional Forum meet-ups

I was so thrilled to share in this conversation with James and hope you enjoy and feed off the the tremendous energy and passion in this exhilarating discussion.

To learn more about Functional Forum you may use the link below: http://functionalforum.com/about/

To access James' book, Evolution of Medicine, you may use the link below:

http://goevomed.com/start/

And to learn more about Age 100, a world-exclusive conference dedicated to living a long and healthy life, you may use the link below:

https://journey100.org/join

You may access this podcast, and previous ones, on our website and I-Tunes page using the links below.

Our Website: http://www.amedicinalmind.com/podcast-wisdom-and-well-being/episode-008-james-maskell-the-evolution-of-medical-education-how-the-functional-forum-is-changing-the-way-clinician-learn-collaborate-and-practice-medicine

Our I-Tunes page: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-medicinal-mind/id1231645261?mt=2?at=1000lc66

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In Episode 007 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Wellbeing: I have an amazing conversation with innovative family physician and leading expert in nutrition science and obesity medicine, Dr. Spencer Nadolsky DO.

Spencer is a board certified family and obesity medicine physician who incorporates his passion for exercise and nutrition science into his individualized care for patients seeking to improve their health through lifestyle medicine.

Spencer initially discovered his passion for fitness and nutrition as a heavyweight wrestler at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

Following his college athletic career and subsequent medical school training at the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), Spencer went on to complete his residency training in family medicine through the Virginia Commonwealth University-Riverside Family Medicine program just 15 minutes up the road from my childhood home in Newport News, Virginia. Right now he is currently accepting patients into a new, revolutionary online clinic called SteadyMD. When he is not in the office, Spencer enjoys lifting, cooking, and taking long walks after meals with his wife and fellow physician Dr. Jenna Nadolsky MD.

In our conversation, Spencer shares his personal story and growth as a traditionally trained family physician now practicing lifestyle based medicine.

During the podcast, we discuss:

• The Concept of Membership Based Direct Primary Care and more specifically the new telemedicine based online platform Steady MD

• What types of doctors can one find using this platform?
• What kind of experience would I have as a patient
• What types of patients are choosing this type of care in general?

• Spencer's Clinical Approach and Patient Centered Treatment.

• Do we need the Physical Exam and Annual Physical?
• The importance of a comprehensive clinical history
• What is true preventive medicine?

• The Role of Social Support and Community Networks to Support Health.
• • Spencer's Facebook Support Group "The Cruise Ship"
  • The evolution of group health education

• Spencer's Background in Obesity Medicine and Clinical Approach to Weight Loss

• Spencer's book: The Fat Loss Prescription

I was so fortunate to stumble across Spencer in my own back yard and am so thankful to have been able to grow a personal and professional relationship with such an innovative visionary in lifestyle medicine.

Learn more about Dr. Nadolsky's work with his book: Fat Loss Prescription https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1518824226/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1518824226&linkCode=as2&tag=drspencom-20&linkId=WKI56AGEB5S3FH4Z Stay up to date with Dr. Nadolsky on his website: http://drspencer.com

I hope you enjoy the show!

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

My guest today is a dear friend and mentor Jonathan Bartels. As you will hear in our conversation today, my friendship with Jonathan was sparked by my curious inquiry into meditation, self care and what really existed outside of my medical school walls. What ensued following a single morning of meditation was a relationship built on appreciation, nourishment and growth.

Jonathan has over 31 years of professional experience in the healthcare field. For the past 19 years he has practiced as a Registered Nurse. Eleven of which were spent working in the University Of Virginia Health System's Level I Emergency Department. He presently works as a Palliative Care Liaison nurse. Jonathan's educational background includes Graduate coursework in Eastern Philosophy and Western Mysticism at Western Michigan University (1991-1993), BA in Psychology from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY (1990) and BSN from D'Youville College in Buffalo, NY (1997). In 2009 Jonathan started a practice that helped transform how death is approached in healthcare both nationally and internationally. This practice is now known as The Pause.

In this practice, healthcare providers are invited to silently honor the loss of life as a shared community that embraces diversity in unity through silence.

While not a panacea, it has been instrumental at pointing to a greater need in healthcare: that in caring for others, one should not forsake self-care, compassion and resiliency.

Since 2009 Jon has been a founding member of The Compassionate Care Initiative and co-facilitator for resiliency retreats offered at the University of Virginia's School of Nursing. These retreats focus on a variety of practices aimed at promoting the skills of resiliency, the importance of compassion, and the vital need for self-care.

In this Episode we discuss:

1. Jonathan's amazing background, life story and journey through healthcare as an innovative thinker and engaged nurse.
2. The story behind the creation of the silent ritual "The Pause," and its role in honoring the life that was lost and the efforts of the healthcare workers involved attempting to preserve it.
3. The importance of cultivating resilience in medicine through the deliberate practice of self care, meditation, ritual and communal conversation.
4. How organizations like the University of Virginia School of Nursing's Compassionate Care Initiative is tackling burnout in its students at an institutional and community level.
5. The role of interprofessional collaboration among healthcare workers as a way to improve well being as well as overall patient care.

To follow Jonathan and the University of Virginia School of Nursing's Compassionate Care Initiative see the links below

Compassionate Care Initiative: https://cci.nursing.virginia.edu

Video: The Pause: https://vimeo.com/143628865

The Pause: https://thepause.me/2015/10/01/test-post-2/

You can access more information and notes for this episode on our podcast page

http://www.amedicinalmind.com/podcast-wisdom-and-well-being

You can see all of our content including blogs, poetry, meditations, and our weekly newsletter at our webpage: A Medicinal Mind

You can also follow A Medicinal Mind on Facebook and Instagram

If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe with Apple Podcasts and leave us a review. Your feedback and reviews allow our message and this space of nourishment to grow.

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In Episode 005 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Wellbeing we share in an engaging conversation with world class Cross-Fit athlete and recent medical school graduate Julie Foucher-Urcuyo.

As you will hear in our discussion, I first discovered Julie as part of her inspiring podcast: Pursuing Health and more specifically after her episode with our mutual friend and the mastermind behind the Evolution of Medicine and the Functional Forum: James Maskell.

Between the two of us, we share tremendous passions for lifestyle medicine, fitness and utilizing a functional/ancestral approach to restoring health and maintaining wellness. We additionally are both about to embark on new journeys as first year family medicine residents. To learn more about functional medicine, maintaining wellness and utilizing an ancestral approach to restoring health, you can access our Ebook using this link.

http://www.amedicinalmind.com/resources-for-health.html

Before I lay out the specific details for today's show, I want to share a little bit more about Julie and her amazing life story.

Julie is a four-time CrossFit Games athlete and finished on the CrossFit Games podium twice (2nd in 2012 and 3rd in 2014) both during her time in medical school and has never finished outside the top 5. Julie also has a growing interest in Functional Medicine, having completed her medical school training at the Cleveland Clinic and is about to begin her residency training with the Cleveland Clinic's Fairview Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program. Her passion lies in combining what she has learned through all of these modalities to inspire and empower others to live a lifestyle that supports optimal health. She additionally hosts the previously mentioned podcast Pursuing Health, where she shares inspiring stories of individuals from all walks of life.

During our discussion, besides reminiscing and reflecting about our own medical school journeys we dig into some really important questions facing medical professionals, medical trainees and our nation as a whole.

In the podcast you will hear:

1. Julie's fascinating background as medical student and Cross-Fit athlete, balancing grueling training with the rigors of medical school
2. How Cross-Fit and exercise in general can be used and scaled for both the experienced athlete and novice beginner
3. Julie's approach for addressing health concerns through a multifactorial program including diet, stress management and of course, exercise
4. A thoughtful discussion into the concept of exercise vs. movement, how one can grow through traumatic life events including major injuries and the importance of engaging in the process versus simply being motivated by a perceived outcome.
5. And lastly, Julie shares her latest projects and her intentions for holding a space designed to heal and nourish. Did you know Cross-Fit is actually the ideal place to be vulnerable, to connect and to grow?

Enjoy this powerful conversation from two young professionals seeking to change the way medicine is practiced and what the "practice" of medicine even means.

Stay up to date with Julie on her website, www.juliefoucher.com, her Instagram, @juliefoucher, Twitter @Julie_Foucher, or Facebook, JulieFoucherCF, and her podcast Pursuing Health with Julie Foucher.

A huge thank you to Julie for taking time to share in this conversation and I hope you all find some nourishment in this thought provoking and emotional discussion.

Enjoy the show!

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In Episode 004 of A Medicinal Mind: Wisdom and Wellbeing I share a conversation with my colleague and close friend Dr. Stephan Guyenet PhD. As you will hear in the introduction, Stephan was one of the first individuals with whom I was able to connect during my early exploration of ancestral health. After a few short emails, I soon discovered that Stephan's father was actually a professor in my very own medical school and I would later go on to learn cardiovascular physiology and pharmacology from his kind and brilliant dad. I am indeed indebted to the entire Guyenet family for many aspects of my health education and am so grateful to have crossed paths with them both.

But before I dive much further into the specific details of today's show I want to give you a little glimpse into the life and work of Stephan Guyenet.

Stephan received a BS in biochemistry from the University of Virginia, a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Washington, and spent a total of 12 years in the neuroscience research world. His most recent work investigates the neuroscience of eating behavior and obesity. Today, he continues his mission to advance science as a writer, speaker, and science consultant. He lives in the Seattle area, grows unreasonable amounts of potatoes, and brews a mean hard cider.

In addition to growing potatoes and brewing cider, Stephan recently wrote and released a groundbreaking book on the neurobiology and neuro-regulation of body weight called: The Hungry Brain. He has appeared on many podcasts over the past few months describing the ideas in his book, focusing on the complexities of understanding human behavior as it pertains to food choice and eating habits.

You can keep up with Stephan on his website:

www.stephanguyenet.com

And read his exciting book, The Hungry Brain, which discusses groundbreaking research on the neurobiology and neuro-regulation of body weight.

https://www.amazon.com/Hungry-Brain-Outsmarting-Instincts-Overeat/dp/125008119X

To learn more about the current best practices for minimizing bias and efforts to increase open access to scientific literature visit the Center for Open Science at

https://cos.io

In this conversation, however, we venture away form the neurobiology behind human eating behavior and, instead, seek to explore and assess the current state of the scientific research community

1. What are the biggest issues facing the scientific community right now beyond simply funding?
2. Are we at a point where we must focus on value based research and incentivize replication studies over novelty based science?
3. What are the most prevalent sources of bias in the scientific community and how are they being addressed?
4. Is the scientific community inherently self correcting or is institutional inertia too much to prevent internal improvements and progress?
5. And how about health care delivery and medical education? Are the same issues faced by the broader research community affecting medical education and health care as well? Are these institutions capable of self correction?

Whether your work or studies has taken you into the fields of biomedical research, medical education or something entirely different, as part of this discussion we offer several new ideas and conceptual frameworks in which to approach your profession and I encourage you to listen in and share this episode with any of your colleagues who you feel would benefit. Stephan's insight into the both the macro and micro issues facing the research community are truly remarkable and hope you can benefit from his curiosity and wisdom.

You can see all of our content including blogs, poetry, meditations, and our weekly newsletter at our webpage: A Medicinal Mind

You can also follow A Medicinal Mind on Facebook and Instagram

If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe in I-Tunes and leave us a review. Your feedback and reviews allow our message and this space of nourishment to grow.

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

What role does music play in your spiritual practice? Listen in to a conversation I had with Tucker MacDonald and Lucas Nichols, two young Christian musicians seeking to nourish through their music.

In this episode we discuss

• Lucas and Tucker's backgrounds in music
• The role of music in one's spiritual practice, and more specifically in the Christian Church
• If and how music can be a gateway to building and restoring a relationship with God
• What exactly is prayer?
• How we can cultivate stillness and "bring back" the Christian Contemplative

Currently residing in Charlottesville, Virginia, Tucker MacDonald writes and produces independently, fronts his current music project: Dillingham and is the worship arts director in a local church: Cornerstone Community Church. Tucker's songs draw from varying ends of the music spectrum, from his years of fiddle-playing as a child to bluegrass bands, jam bands, and choir, the composition-like structure of most of his songs takes a listener on a journey of asking questions and looking for answers.

Lucas Nichols is an analytical thinker who loves learning new things and discussing wholesome ideas. Faith and music are essentials in his life, and he enjoys experiencing these elements with others in his community.

Together, Lucas and Tucker have been spreading their faith and love for Christ through music, holding a space for all who enter our local community church to be renewed, restored and healed through the power of song.

As you will hear in today's conversation, their musical talents have paved a way for many like myself to find a spiritual space we can finally call home. A space where worship, music, community and prayer come together in a poetic symphony to lead us all to unfathomable and previously unknowable heights.

As three young men born into a generation often hurt, disgusted or disillusioned by religion and the Christian church, we offer a hopeful dialogue and proposition for our fellow youth to courageously step out into a different kind of church, perhaps one where music is the gateway to building and restoring a relationship with God.

This was perhaps one of my favorite interviews and I encourage you to share this conversation with anyone you feel could benefit from its uplifting message. In a time where negativity and cynicism seek to reign supreme, Lucas and Tucker point to the truth, that indeed, succumbing to negativity is not an option when you live in divine alignment with your authentic self. Enjoy the show!

You can access more information and notes for this episode on our podcast page

You can see all of our content including blogs, poetry, meditations, and our weekly newsletter at our webpage: A Medicinal Mind

You can follow A Medicinal Mind on Facebook and Instagram

If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe in I-Tunes and leave us a review. Your feedback and reviews allow our message and this space of nourishment to grow.

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of our podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on our podcast and any statements written or made about any potential outcomes are expressions of opinion only.

In this show, I discuss with Allyson Chrystal and Guillermo Ruiz a variety of ways to collaboratively reduce the barriers to one's wellness and more specifically, what exactly will the future "integrative" family medicine clinic look like?

What types of providers should be involved?

What kinds of therapies should be available?

Is this even possible?

And lastly, who is actually running the show?

Allyson Chrystal, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist and clinical instructor specializing in pediatrics. In her clinical work and research, Allyson has focused on sensory integration and self-regulation in children with behavioral and developmental disorders. More recently, she has expanded her work with self-regulation to typically developing children and adolescents. Allyson is also currently completing a Master's degree in Functional Medicine and Clinical Nutrition.

Guillermo Ruiz is a fourth-year naturopathic medical student at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. His aim is to use his research to advance Naturopathic medicine using an evidence-based approach, and focuses on finding evolutionary connections between our modern and traditional health care systems. Guillermo is currently a research assistant at SCNM and associate researcher at Arizona State University Biodesign Institute, where he focuses on botanical medicine research. His hobbies include researching, learning, practicing and teaching the benefits of adhering to an appropriate evolutionary diet.

You can access more information and notes from this episode on our podcast page.

You can see all of our content including blogs, poetry, meditations, and our weekly newsletter at our webpage: A Medicinal Mind

You can also follow A Medicinal Mind on Facebook and Instagram

If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe in I-Tunes and leave us a review. Your feedback and reviews allow our message and this space of nourishment to grow,

Disclaimer: The content at A Medicinal Mind and the content of this podcast are educational and informational in nature. They are not intended to be medical advice, spiritual counsel or a substitute for working with a health professional or a trained spiritual counselor. We cannot guarantee the outcome of any of the recommendations provided on our page or by the guests on the podcasts and statements about any potential outcome are expressions of opinion only.